


Half of a Whole

by Kiterou



Series: My Magic Academia [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Dead Midoriya Hisashi, Gen, Good Parent Midoriya Inko, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Bullying, Magic, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Widow Midoriya Inko, Witch Midoriya Inko, Wizard Midoriya Izuku, no beta we die like sir nighteye
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiterou/pseuds/Kiterou
Summary: After Midoriya Hisashi's death, Inko is left to pick up the pieces.Edit Dec 29th 2020Changed the part where Inko brings Izuku to the doctor. Quirked peoplemissthe pinky toe joint, they don't have an extra one! Izuku doesn't miss a joint, which matches with 'Quirkless' people, but it's not a foolproof thing according to the wiki. Thanks torosaamarillafor pointing that one out. :)
Series: My Magic Academia [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2065380
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70
Collections: Genuary 2021





	Half of a Whole

**May 29th, 2138**  
Musutafu, Japan

The soil hit the casket with a soft thump, the sound almost drowned out by Inko’s sobs.

Not many people were at the funeral. Hisashi had always been a busy person, his life full with just his work and his little family. Besides herself and Izuku, who didn’t understand but cried just the same, only the Bakugous and two colleagues of Hisashi stood next to the grave.

It was all so _wrong_. Just a few days ago, they had enjoyed a rare dinner outside the house, and then- and then-

More tears spilt from her eyes. For days, she had barely stopped crying, clinging to her son in a mix of fear and exhaustion and grief that stole her breath and left her choking.

Today’s funeral was a closed-casket one.

“Inko…”

A warm hand squeezed her shoulder, turned her around to face Mitsuki. The usually brash and confident woman looked pale and worried as she pulled Inko into a hug. Masaru stood beside her, holding young Katsuki and Izuku in his arms. When did he take her son?

“I need- Mitsuki, I need-”

“Shhh. Come, it’s over, let’s get you home…”

Some part of Inko felt overwhelming guilt as she let herself be guided to Masaru’s car. Ever since she got released from the hospital after the attack, the Bakugous had been helping her and Izuku over and over again. The funeral, the legal matters, the handling of Hisashi’s will - without their help, Inko didn’t think she could’ve done anything at all besides crying. More than once Mitsuki would coax her to try and sleep, taking Izuku with her so that her boy could play with Katsuki.

Inko wondered if he asked Mitsuki for his dad as well.

His dad. Her husband. Her _love_ \- gone in just a few, confusing moments. They had exited the restaurant, just a bit tipsy from the sake, eager to spend the rest of the night together. After Izuku’s birth, opportunities to go out on dates had become even rarer and they’d been so _happy_.

And then the villain jumped in front of them with a grin that would follow Inko into her own grave one day, and Hisashi had shoved her aside and then the villain had _hit him with his bare fists over and over and over-_

But the worst thing, the absolute worst, was that Inko could’ve saved him. She could have. But for years now she hadn’t carried her wand with her but for visits to the magical side of Japan. Not when she went out shopping or took Izuku and Katsuki to the nearby park.

Not when going out with her husband, enjoying a romantic dinner for just the two.

She could’ve saved him, but her wand had been tucked away uselessly in the second drawer of the kitchen, used only for household charms ever since marrying Hisashi.

And now Hisashi was dead and she was alone with Izuku and the world seemed such a painful place to be.

“Mama?”

So, so painful, but for her son next to her, and her friends in the front of the car, worried and tense and gentle and ever helpful. Her beautiful son and her beautiful friends, and neither did know that it was all Inko’s fault.

“I’m alright, Izuku,” she managed to say, giving her son a watery smile. He was still crying, confused and missing his dad, and it broke her heart into a thousand pieces.

Next to him, little Katsuki was watching them with big eyes.

“It’s all right,” she said and hoped that one day, it would be true.

~~~

 **June 4th, 2138**  
Musutafu, Japan

Life goes on, they say. At least the world did - no matter how keenly Inko felt the absence of her husband, the world kept on going, dragging her with it. And she needed to - she had to keep up with the pace despite her own grief. Her son, _their_ son - Izuku needed her to be there for him.

And for the last couple of days, she thought she might even manage. Izuku was still so young, after all, and easily distracted. Mitsuki helped a lot, and so did Katsuki in his own way, asking for Izuku to come play. It shouldn’t be such a relief to have her son out of the house, but it was - somewhere mixed with her own fear and panic and _what if something happens to him?_ was the bone-deep relief of not having Izuku look up at her with solemn eyes and ask where his papa was.

Inko hated herself in these moments, clutching at the next-best thing to hold herself steady and in the presence. But the wound was still too fresh. She’d never been strong and now she needed to learn fast.

She had to move on.

“Mama, why do we throw this ‘way?” Izuku asked her when she moved through Hisashi’s workroom. It had taken her almost a week since the funeral to even look at it, but she couldn’t well leave it alone. Without Hisashi here, it wasn’t safe for Izuku to have access. Better to clean it out, she’d thought, but each piece of equipment, every little bit of scrap metal, every tool and wire and tiny screw weighted a ton in her hands.

“We aren’t, sweetling,” she tried to explain and looked over the mess of boxes and Hisashi’s life strewn about. “We’re just putting it away. It’s- he’s-” She stopped there, unsure what to say, eyes feeling tight and hot and itchy from all the times she’d cried ever since her anniversary. She blinked and tried to push the tears away, a wobbly smile on her lips when she turned back to Izuku. “We need to keep it clean and tidy.”

“But it’s papa’s,” Izuku said and his eyes, so much like hers, are shining now, his little chubby face scrunched up with distress. “It’s papa’s, and now it’s going, like _papa_ -”

Inko moved fast, not caring about the things clattering around her. Her arms wrap around the trembling form of her son and then Izuku was crying. Those were not the silent, bewildered tears from the weeks past - there was no confusion here, just dreadful certainty. Izuku was sobbing, loudly, and Inko knew that he’d finally realized that Hisashi would not come back.

“Papa!” he screamed himself hoarse, clinging to her with all the power a nearly four-year-old might have, and Inko hugged him closer, her own tears spilling over. “I- I want papa, I want-”

Something shattered, but Inko barely noticed. More things shatter, but her whole attention was divided between soothing her son and the memories of a man she loved more than she could put into words.

It wasn’t until after she put the exhausted boy into bed and returned to her task that she saw the shattered mess of Hisashi’s chemistry set-up. Each and every beaker and vial was broken, even those she’d already put away, and the air tasted faintly like copper, like raw magic and raw emotions.

~~~

 **June 12th, 2138**  
Musutafu, Japan

Setting up a doctor’s appointment was useless, but it was something that needed to be done in their society. Inko already knew that Izuku would not miss the second joint in his toe - no wizard or witch did. It was yet another reminder that neither she nor her son was fully part of this world, even less now that Hisashi was gone.

They could leave Musutafu, Inko thought. Go back to Tokyo or Kyoto or any other city with a higher magical population. She could manage, surely - convert all her money and rent out a small place, get a job in one of the shops of an alley. It would be easier than staying here, cheaper too - free to use her magic, she could make ends meet in a better way than without.

But it felt too much like running away and who else but the Bakugous did she know? She had not kept up with her old school friends and there was no family left to speak of. Besides, she didn’t even know what to do without Mitsuki’s help, and the Bakugous couldn’t very well follow her into a world none of them knew.

Izuku, too, would be even more heartbroken. If he wasn’t clinging to her, he was clinging to little Katsuki as if afraid either of them would leave him, too.

So in the end, Inko brought Izuku to the doctor, who checked the boy’s foot and told her to wait a bit more for a quirk to manifest, but that the chances for that were low. No quirk would come, not ever, but Inko didn’t tell the doctor. After the appointment, she went to the notary managing Hisashi’s will and the finances.

And then she went to the little pub at the other end of Musutafu, her wand in her bag as well as a few ornate coins, Izuku perched on her arm, and asked for passage.

The old man behind the bar eyed the two for a moment before nodding towards the back door. She put some of the coins on the bar, shushing Izuku when the boy asked where they were going.

It wasn’t until she threw a handful of powder into the fireplace situated in the back room that Izuku stopped squirming, clearly remembering some of the few times Inko had taken him with her to one of the magical alleys.

“Kawagoe District,” she said and let the fire take her away. It was time to register Izuku properly and set up his accounts.

~~~

 **March 27th, 2139**  
Musutafu, Japan

“... and then Kacchan was making sparks all over! And Hokama-sensei said, she said it’s a really good quirk! She said Kacchan is going to be a great hero!”

Inko smiled as she watched her son gesture with his kid’s fork, eyes big and bright, his smile matching them. “That’s good to hear, sweetheart! Did you congratulate him as well?”

“Yes! And Kacchan said he’s going to be just like All Might!” Izuku took a deep breath and flung his arms up. A few rice corns flew off his fork, hastily caught by Inko’s spell. “I am here!” Izuku intoned and giggled. “Kacchan’s really happy, mama!”

“Mitsuki must be proud of him,” Inko hummed, curious about that sparkling quirk. She had to call her friend later today after the Bakugous got back from the quirk counsellor.

“Uh-hu!” Izuku kept on chattering about his day, always coming back to his best friend’s flashy quirk, sounding more excited each time until he was almost vibrating on his chair with pent-up energy. Inko smiled throughout his tales, putting some more vegetables on his plate and listening intently.

It felt good to see him like this. It felt good to be able to smile again and mean it. After almost a year without Hisashi, it felt easier now. _If only you could see our boy, love,_ Inko thought wistfully as she watched Izuku, eyes misting over a bit but tears kept at bay. _You would be so proud, right?_

Izuku was just such a perfect little boy. Just the right mix of the two, with Inko’s eyes and hair and emotions, so kind and well-meaning, but Hisashi’s nose and mouth and clever fingers, with all of his smarts and just the same frown whenever he thought of something complicated. Her eyes misted again and she blinked the wetness away as she attended her own meal, smiling into her bowl when Izuku nearly toppled off his chair.

And then Izuku stopped and heaved a great sigh and Inko’s heart dropped.

“I just wished I could become a hero, too,” the boy mumbled and Inko’s heart _ached_ with sympathy.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she said, already up and around the table to pull Izuku into her arms. Her boy went willingly, face pressed against her shoulder. “I know, I know it must be hard. But you have something as well, right? You have magic, Izuku.”

“But mama,” he whined as only little children could. Oh, he was so smart, Inko knew she was lucky to have such a bright child - he knew he was different from the rest of his friends, from all the other children he knew in Musutafu, from all the people outside of Kawagoe District and the other alleys they sometimes visited. But he was still a little child, and that very difference might just break his heart as well. “I want to be a hero, too, with Kacchan. I want to be just like All Might! Why can’t I tell Kacchan?”

Cupping his head in her hands, Inko pressed a kiss to his forehead before meeting his miserable eyes. “Because it’s not just our secret to tell, my love,” she told him in her serious voice, watching how Izuku immediately snapped to full attention. He still fidgeted a bit, chewing on his lip and wringing his hands, but he didn’t avert his eyes. “It’s something we have to keep hidden because there are many of us, but so many more who don’t know about us. And some of those would try to hurt us, so they made this law just for us. And I know you don’t like it, but what do heroes do?”

“Protect people?” Izuku whispered and Inko smiled.

“Protect people, yes. But they also protect the law. So you have to be strong and not tell anyone. When you’re old enough, you’ll go to a special school and that’s when you can get your ‘quirk’.”

“Really?” Izuku gasped and the misery was gone. “I get a quirk, too? Like Kacchan?”

“Like me,” Inko told him and ruffled his hair. “When you get your own wand, you can choose one spell and register it as your quirk. Like mommy’s levitation spell, right?”

“That’s so cool!” Izuku gushed, wriggling in her arms. “I can’t wait, mama! I can be a wizard _and_ a hero, then!”

“Maybe, if you’re a good boy,” Inko said, hoping that by the time Izuku properly started his magical education, he would be more enamoured with his magical heritage.

~~~

 **February 2nd, 2141**  
Musutafu, Japan

Inko got the letter in late January like any other letter she received - per post. The return address was located in Naha, Okinawa. Nothing indicated anything out of the norm - the letter was printed on quality paper but printed nonetheless. Vaguely, Inko remembered her grandfather’s stories of receiving a hand-written letter delivered by some clever petrel.

She also remembered the stories of students flying from all over Japan on the back’s of giant birds for day-school before they’d start boarding, and is glad that nowadays fire-travel was far more common and available for everyone.

When the teacher arrived, the little apartment in Musutafu was scrubbed clean and both Inko and Izuku dressed in their best.

“There are options, of course,” Fumikage explained to her over a cup of tea and a slice of cake, with Izuku trying to be attentive next to the adults. The man was nice enough, with a round and open face and a ready smile. He also tried to include Izuku as much as possible, which was only a point in favour for him. “You wouldn’t be the only one to homeschool your child before school becomes mandatory at age eleven, Midoriya-san. Others opt for private tutelage or organize with other parents, although that would be hard to do in Musutafu.”

“I’m just worried, what with the fees of transport and all. And Izuku has his friends, of course, so… are there, I mean. Does the school provide guidelines for homeschooling?”

“We do, actually,” Fumikage said with a smile, already reaching towards his bag to pull out some leaflets and stapled papers. “As I said, homeschooling is very popular, especially with families who live in more rural areas. Since we try and keep an even standard, Mahoutokoro can provide you with the material needed. Tests and exams are still held at the school, so Izuku will have a chance to meet other kids there, too…”

It was a bit more complicated than Inko had hoped for but so much cheaper than sending Izuku to day school come April. Money was tight as usual, with Inko trying to keep most of the money Hisashi had left her at the side for emergencies, but she worked hard to add to her widow’s annuity to make ends meet and to give Izuku a comfortable childhood.

Now she would’ve to spend more time at home, though. Maybe she could reach out to other parents, see what she could do to ensure Izuku would have a well-rounded schooling. Izuku would’ve to keep attending his regular school as well.

“I need to think about this, Fumikage-san,” she told him after he’d talked her through the process of keeping in touch with the school. “It’s definitely a good option to have for us.”

“I’ll leave you my number, then,” he replied easily and gave her his card. “Just make sure to decide before the end of the week, so that we can register Izuku properly.”

“Of course,” Inko said, relieved to have some sort of contact to help her through this. “And thank you for your time and help.”

He left not much later. Izuku was looking at the colourful leaflets, not looking up when Inko returned to the kitchen. “Can I still choose a spell when I stay home, mama?” he finally asked, sounding nervous in a way that could end up in confusion or distress. Inko swallowed a sigh and sat down next to him, her heart warming when he instantly squirmed under her arm and plastered himself against her side.

“Yes, of course you can. But staying at home will mean you have to do twice the work, Izuku,” she explained to him. “You’ll have to go to school with Kacchan and then you have to learn even more at home, too. It’s a lot.”

“But I’m smart. You always say I’m the very smartest,” Izuku said, looking at her like she was the only one who’s opinion mattered. Not that it was true - Katsuki’s words were equally important to him, even after the other boy had stopped coming over. “So I can do that, yes? Because we don’t have, ah - we don’t have so much money?”

Swallowing yet again, Inko could only nod. They had enough for the two of them, enough to live in modest comfort at least. Her savings might even afford them Izuku’s schooling, but… it would definitely drain her account to the last Yen. Taking over his schooling for those first four years would help so much.

“It’s your decision, sweetheart,” Inko finally told him with a soft smile. “We can manage either way, so tell me what you want.”

Izuku didn’t just blurt out the first answer to his mind - no, he scrunched up his face in thought, muttering softly under his breath as he thought the decision over. The sight melted Inko’s heart - he was just like his father. Finally, after a couple of minutes, her boy looked up again, determination bright in his eyes. “I want to stay with you,” he told her. “That way, I can go to school with Kacchan! And I’m smart! I can do it, mama, don’t worry!”

“Oh, Izuku,” Inko whispered and hugged him close. Of course, her son would still think about her, too. He was too kind, but she did give him the option. “Let’s do homeschooling then. Tell you what, the first thing we do when we start is going through all possible spells, so that you can choose one real quick, yes?”

Naturally, that cheered her boy up immediately.

~~~

 **April 28th, 2141**  
Musutafu, Japan

“So, sweetheart. Which one would you like to learn?” Inko asked, Izuku on her lap as she showed him each of the beginner spells. It would still take months for the young boy to learn any of them - most of what was taught to kids his age were simple theory and history and the customs of their society -, but Izuku was eager to finally claim a quirk as his.

Inko had her suspicions as to why it was so very important for Izuku. He was the only kid in his class without a quirk, after all.

For a while, Izuku kept silent. But then he looked up to Inko, tugging at her hand. “What was papa’s quirk, mama?” he asked and the words hit her hard, her breath caught in her throat.

“Fire,” she finally said. Hisashi had never liked his quirk - too volatile, he’d told her early on, especially with his delicate work. “Your father could breathe fire.” When Izuku’s solemn eyes lit up, she somehow managed to giggle around the lump in her throat. “But that’s a bit too much for you right now. A small heating spell, maybe?”

“Can I learn fire later, then?” Izuku asked eagerly and Inko smiled.

“Yes, my love. But first, we start with the basics. I don’t want you to burn yourself, after all.”


End file.
